440.21(1)(1) The department may conduct investigations, hold hearings and make findings as to whether a person has engaged in a practice or used a title without a credential required under chs. 440 to 480.

440.21(2)(2) If, after holding a public hearing, the department determines that a person has engaged in a practice or used a title without a credential required under chs. 440 to 480, the department may issue a special order enjoining the person from the continuation of the practice or use of the title.

440.21(3)(3) In lieu of holding a public hearing, if the department has reason to believe that a person has engaged in a practice or used a title without a credential required under chs. 440 to 480, the department may petition the circuit court for a temporary restraining order or an injunction as provided in ch. 813.

440.21(4)(a)(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of chs. 440 to 480 relating to fines, forfeitures, or imprisonment, any person who violates a special order issued under sub. (2) may be required to forfeit not more than $10,000 for each offense. Each day of continued violation constitutes a separate offense. The attorney general or any district attorney may commence an action in the name of the state to recover a forfeiture under this paragraph.

440.21(4)(b)(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of chs. 440 to 480 relating to fines, forfeitures, or imprisonment, any person who violates a temporary restraining order or an injunction issued by a court upon a petition under sub. (3) may be fined not less than $25 nor more than $5,000 or imprisoned for not more than one year in the county jail or both.

440.22(1)(1) In this section, “costs of the proceeding" means the compensation and reasonable expenses of hearing examiners and of prosecuting attorneys for the department, examining board or affiliated credentialing board, a reasonable disbursement for the service of process or other papers, amounts actually paid out for certified copies of records in any public office, postage, telephoning, adverse examinations and depositions and copies, expert witness fees, witness fees and expenses, compensation and reasonable expenses of experts and investigators, and compensation and expenses of a reporter for recording and transcribing testimony.

440.22(2)(2) In any disciplinary proceeding against a holder of a credential in which the department or an examining board, affiliated credentialing board or board in the department orders suspension, limitation or revocation of the credential or reprimands the holder, the department, examining board, affiliated credentialing board or board may, in addition to imposing discipline, assess all or part of the costs of the proceeding against the holder. Costs assessed under this subsection are payable to the department. Interest shall accrue on costs assessed under this subsection at a rate of 12 percent per year beginning on the date that payment of the costs are due as ordered by the department, examining board, affiliated credentialing board or board. Upon the request of the department of safety and professional services, the department of justice may commence an action to recover costs assessed under this subsection and any accrued interest.

440.22(3)(3) In addition to any other discipline imposed, if the department, examining board, affiliated credentialing board or board assesses costs of the proceeding to the holder of the credential under sub. (2), the department, examining board, affiliated credentialing board or board may not restore, renew or otherwise issue any credential to the holder until the holder has made payment to the department under sub. (2) in the full amount assessed, together with any accrued interest.

440.23(1)(1) If the holder of a credential pays a fee required under s. 440.05 (1) or (6), 440.08, 444.03, or 444.11 by check or debit or credit card and the check is not paid by the financial institution upon which the check is drawn or if the demand for payment under the debit or credit card transaction is not paid by the financial institution upon which demand is made, the department may cancel the credential on or after the 60th day after the department receives the notice from the financial institution, subject to sub. (2).

440.23(2)(2) At least 20 days before canceling a credential, the department shall mail a notice to the holder of the credential that informs the holder that the check or demand for payment under the debit or credit card transaction was not paid by the financial institution and that the holder's credential may be canceled on the date determined under sub. (1) unless the holder does all of the following before that date:

440.23(2)(a)(a) Pays the fee for which the unpaid check or demand for payment under the credit or debit card transaction was issued.

440.23(2)(b)(b) If the fee paid under par. (a) is for renewal and the credential has expired, pays the applicable penalty for late renewal specified in s. 440.08 (3).

440.23(2)(c)(c) Pays the charge for an unpaid draft established by the depository selection board under s. 20.905 (2).

440.23(3)(3) Nothing in sub. (1) or (2) prohibits the department from extending the date for cancellation to allow the holder additional time to comply with sub. (2) (a) to (c).

440.23(4)(4) A cancellation of a credential under this section completely terminates the credential and all rights, privileges and authority previously conferred by the credential.

440.23(5)(5) The department may reinstate a credential that has been canceled under this section only if the previous holder complies with sub. (2) (a) to (c) and pays a $30 reinstatement fee.

440.25440.25
Judicial review. The department may seek judicial review under ch. 227 of any final disciplinary decision of the medical examining board or affiliated credentialing board attached to the medical examining board. The department shall be represented in such review proceedings by an attorney within the department. Upon request of the medical examining board or the interested affiliated credentialing board, the attorney general may represent the board. If the attorney general declines to represent the board, the board may retain special counsel which shall be paid for out of the appropriation under s. 20.165 (1) (hg).

440.26(2)(a)(a)Types of licenses. The department may do any of the following:

440.26(2)(a)1.1. Issue a private detective agency license to an individual, partnership, limited liability company or corporation that meets the qualifications specified under par. (c). The department may not issue a license under this subdivision unless the individual or each member of the partnership or limited liability company or officer or director of the corporation who is actually engaged in the work of a private detective is issued a private detective license under this section.

440.26(2)(a)2.2. Issue a private detective license to an individual who meets the qualifications specified under par. (c) if the individual is an owner, co-owner or employee of a private detective agency required to be licensed under this section.

440.26(2)(b)(b)Applications. The department shall prescribe forms for original and renewal applications. A partnership or limited liability company application shall be executed by all members of the partnership or limited liability company. A corporate application shall be executed by the secretary and the president or vice president and, in addition, in the case of a foreign corporation, by the registered agent.

440.26(2)(c)1.1. Subject to subds. 2. and 3., the department shall prescribe, by rule, such qualifications as it deems appropriate, with due regard to investigative experience, special professional education and training and other factors bearing on professional competence.

440.26(2)(c)2.2. An individual who has been convicted in this state or elsewhere of a felony and who has not been pardoned for that felony is not eligible for a license under this section.

440.26(2)(c)3.3. The department may not issue a license under this section to an individual unless the individual is over 18 years of age.

440.26(2)(c)4.4. The department, in considering applicants for license, shall seek the advice of the appropriate local law enforcement agency or governmental official, and conduct such further investigation, as it deems proper to determine the competence of the applicant.

440.26(2)(c)5.5. The department may, based on rules adopted by the department, refuse to issue a license under this section to an individual who has committed any of the acts described in sub. (6) (a) 1. to 5.

440.26(3)(3)Issuance of licenses; fees. Upon receipt and examination of an application executed under sub. (2), and after any investigation that it considers necessary, the department shall, if it determines that the applicant is qualified, grant the proper license upon payment of the initial credential fee determined by the department under s. 440.03 (9) (a). No license shall be issued for a longer period than 2 years, and the license of a private detective shall expire on the renewal date of the license of the private detective agency, even if the license of the private detective has not been in effect for a full 2 years. Renewals of the original licenses issued under this section shall be issued in accordance with renewal forms prescribed by the department and shall be accompanied by the applicable fees specified in s. 440.08 or determined by the department under s. 440.03 (9) (a). The department may not renew a license unless the applicant provides evidence that the applicant has in force at the time of renewal the bond or liability policy specified in this section.

440.26(3m)(3m)Rules concerning dangerous weapons. The department shall promulgate rules relating to the carrying of dangerous weapons by a person who holds a license or permit issued under this section or who is employed by a person licensed under this section. The rules shall meet the minimum requirements specified in 15 USC 5902 (b) and shall allow all of the following:

440.26(4)(4)Bonds or liability policies required. No license may be issued under this section until a bond or liability policy, approved by the department, in the amount of $100,000 if the applicant for the license is a private detective agency and includes all principals, partners, members or corporate officers, or in the amount of $2,000 if the applicant is a private detective, has been executed and filed with the department. Such bonds or liability policies shall be furnished by an insurer authorized to do a surety business in this state in a form approved by the department. The person shall maintain the bond or liability policy during the period that the license is in effect.

440.26(4m)(a)(a)Definition. In this subsection, “violation" means a violation of any state or local law that is punishable by a forfeiture.

440.26(4m)(b)(b)Reporting requirement. A person who holds a license or permit issued under this section and who is convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, or is found to have committed a violation, in this state or elsewhere, shall notify the department in writing of the date, place and nature of the conviction or finding within 48 hours after the entry of the judgment of conviction or the judgment finding that the person committed the violation. Notice may be made by mail and may be proven by showing proof of the date of mailing the notice.

440.26(5)(a)(a) The requirement that a person acting as a private detective, investigator or special investigator be licensed under this section does not apply to attorneys, law students or law school graduates employed by an attorney or persons directly employed by an attorney or firm of attorneys whose work as private detective, investigator or special investigator is limited to such attorney or firm or to persons directly employed by an insurer or a retail credit rating establishment. A person who accepts employment with more than one law firm shall be subject to the licensing provisions of this section.

440.26(5)(b)(b) The license requirements of this section do not apply to any person employed directly or indirectly by the state or by a municipality, as defined in s. 345.05 (1) (c), or to any employee of a railroad company under s. 192.47, or to any employee of a commercial establishment, while the person is acting within the scope of his or her employment and whether or not he or she is on the employer's premises.

440.26(5)(c)(c) An employee of any agency that is licensed as a private detective agency under this section and that is doing business in this state as a supplier of uniformed private security personnel to patrol exclusively on the private property of industrial plants, business establishments, schools, colleges, hospitals, sports stadiums, exhibits and similar activities is exempt from the license requirements of this section while engaged in such employment, if all of the following apply:

440.26(5)(c)2.2. The private detective agency furnishes an up-to-date written record of its employees to the department. The record shall include the name, residence address, date of birth and a physical description of each employee together with a recent photograph and 2 fingerprint cards bearing a complete set of fingerprints of each employee.

440.26(5)(c)3.3. The private detective agency notifies the department in writing within 5 days of any change in the information under subd. 2. regarding its employees, including the termination of employment of any person.

440.26(5m)(am)(am) The department may refuse to issue a private security permit to a person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor or found to have violated any state or local law that is punishable by a forfeiture, subject to ss. 111.321, 111.322, and 111.335.

440.26(5m)(b)(b) The renewal dates for permits issued under this subsection are specified under s. 440.08 (2) (a). Renewal applications shall be submitted to the department on a form provided by the department and shall include the renewal fee determined by the department under s. 440.03 (9) (a).

440.26(5m)(c)(c) A private security permit issued under this subsection authorizes the holder of the permit to engage in private security activities described in sub. (5) (c) for an employer described in sub. (5) (c) anywhere in this state.

440.26(5m)(d)(d) The department shall maintain a record pertaining to each applicant for a permit under this subsection and each holder of a permit issued under this subsection. The record shall include all information received by the department that is relevant to the approval or denial of the application, the issuance of the permit and any limitations, suspensions or revocations of the permit.

440.26(5r)(b)1.1. Except as provided in subd. 2., an individual who has been issued a temporary private security permit under par. (a) may act as a private security person in the same manner as an individual issued a private security permit under sub. (5m).

440.26(5r)(b)2.2. An individual may not carry a dangerous weapon while acting as a private security person under a temporary private security permit issued under par. (a).

440.26(5r)(c)2.2. A temporary private security permit issued under par. (a) shall expire on the date that the individual receives written notice from the department that a background check of the individual has been completed and that the department is granting or denying the individual's application for a private security permit, if that date occurs before the end of the period specified in subd. 1.

440.26(5r)(c)3.3. A temporary private security permit issued under par. (a) may not be renewed.

440.26(6)(a)(a) Subject to the rules adopted under s. 440.03 (1), the department may reprimand the holder of a license or permit issued under this section or revoke, suspend or limit the license or permit of any person who has done any of the following:

2013-14 Wisconsin Statutes updated through 2015 Wis. Act 392 and all Supreme Court and Controlled Substances Board Orders effective on or before November 21, 2016. Published and certified under s. 35.18. Changes effective after November 21, 2016 are designated by NOTES. (Published 11-21-16)